Business Networking in Dorset

Dorset has a vibrant business networking scene. A large number of groups and events are focused on Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch, and there is plenty of networking activity in Dorchester and Weymouth. The smaller towns, such as Blandford, Bridport and Sherborne, also have reasonably active networking groups.

I created and maintain this list is to help you discover the business networking opportunities available in Dorset. It was last updated in February 2018.

Business Networking Opportunities in Dorset

#dorsethour is an informal gathering of Dorset businesses that takes place on Twitter every Monday, from 7.30pm to 8.30pm. To join in, get online from 7.30pm on a Monday, search on the #dorsethour hashtag and start joining in the conversation.

5@7 Networking is a small networking group based on the Ferndown industrial estate, which has been meeting every week for over two years. Membership is limited to one person per trade or profession but visitors are welcome from across Dorset, or even further afield. About 20 people attend each meeting. Find out more from their website or their Facebook page.

Basepoint Networking Hub The Basepoint business centres host free networking events, which are open to any local firms. In Dorset these can be found in Bournemouth and Weymouth.

Beaminster & District Business Chamber There is not much information available about the Beaminster Chamber online, and different sites offer different contact details. If you’re interested in this Chamber I recommend looking it up through a search engine.

Bizzy New (started 2018) networking and support group for the smaller business - particularly sole traders and those working from home. Meets fourth Tuesday in the month at Weymouth College, 9.30am to 11am. Organised by Weymouth & Portland Chamber of Commerce. Click here for Facebook Page.

Blandford Business Club Meets for a networking breakfast every other Wednesday, from 7.15am to 9am, at Hall & Woodhouse Brewery. Click here for more details.

BNI This is a referral marketing organisation, with only one person per trade or profession per group. Several Dorset branches seem to have folded recently, but replacements are springing up. For more information visit their Dorset website.

Bournemouth Chamber of Trade & Commerce Breakfast meetings, training events and more from this large and very reasonably priced networking group. Discover more benefits on their website.

Bournemouth Property Association If you’re a property professional operating in Dorset, you may find this group useful for staying informed and for networking. They run a variety of networking events – click here to see what they’ve got planned.

Bournemouth UX If you're interested in the ideas and technology around UX (that's 'digital user experience'), you should connect with the @BournemouthUX crowd. They meet a few times a year.

Bridport Business The town’s Chamber of Commerce is presenting a more contemporary image with its ‘Bridport Business’ branding. It holds regular networking event. Click here to view the website.

Business Biscotti This networking group describes itself as the ‘Only crowd networking organisation across the country’ and in the last four years has grown to 80 groups. The Weymouth & Portland group was set up in 2015 and there’s now a group in Dorchester. You can attend two meetings before being required to join up.

Business Hive This weekly networking group meets on the Isle of Portland. Membership is restricted to one of any type of business. Learn more from their website.

Cornerstone Networking Established in early 2017, this group meets on the far east of the county, at Ringwood. It gathers twice a month and there appears to be no annual membership fee. For details, see their Facebook Page.

Creative Women in Business With monthly meetings in the Bournemouth and Poole area, this describes itself as 'a supportive space for creative women to meet, share, get support and inspire each other in developing and building our businesses.' You can learn more from its Facebook Group.

Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry. While it covers the whole county, in practice the majority of DCCI events happen around the Bournemouth area. We hear that new Chief Exec Ian Girling wants to broaden the Chamber’s appeal across the county.

Dorset Echo Granby Breakfast A new networking initiative in Weymouth, organised by the Dorset Echo. The first meeting was in June 2017. For more info email cheryl.barrett@dorsetecho.co.uk.

Dorset Entrepreneurs Network hold meetings twice a month in the Bournemouth/Poole area, alternating between morning and evening events. The meetings feature a specific topic, a guest speaker, and the chance to build relationships with other local business owners. There are no limitations per trade or profession, all are welcome. Find out more on their Meetup Page, or their Facebook Group.

Dorset Growth Hub This business support organsation runs seminars, workshops and other events across the county, all of which present useful networking opportunities. Click here to visit their website.

Dynamic Women in Business (previously Dorset Women in Business)The name says it all, really, and I can’t go because I’m a bloke. Meets several times a year in Boscombe, Wimborne and Christchurch. This is not the same organisation as WIBN (Women in Business Network).

“Fore” Business Bournemouth Based around golf, “Fore” Business has groups across the UK. The Bournemouth branch, based at the Knighton Heath Golf Club, has been running since early 2015. Click here to view the group’s website.

Hot Business Networking Established 2017, this group meets in Poole on the last Wednesday of the month. It's designed to follow on from the school run, starting at 9am or soon after and includes structured networking. Search for Hot Business Networking on Eventbrite.

Jelly An informal co-working event for freelancers, home workers and small/micro business. A chance to work, chat and collaborate with other small business owners. Free except for refreshment charges. Described as co-working rather than networking, it seems a like a great opportunity to meet others. There are several Jelly groups in Dorset – click here to learn more.

Lemur Link Up This business networking group was set up by busy mums and it’s open to all. Meetings are held at Lemur Landings soft play in Poole. Find out more here.

Meetdraw Informal networking group for Dorset-based creative types involved in digital publishing. According to their website that includes developers, designers, marketeers, SEO writers, journalists, entrepreneurs, students, PR experts and copywriters.

4Networking This national networking organisation has groups in Bournemouth, Poole and Ferndown. For more information visit their website.

Network Dorset This is an independent referral networking group that meets weekly in Dorchester. As with other referral groups, it’s limited to one person per business category. Click here for more information.

New2Business Networking There's a clue in the name - this group is for people with little or no networking experience. It's run in East Dorset (Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch) by Outset. Visit the website for more information.

North Dorset Business Group Informal, low-cost networking with no membership or event fees, and a monthly meeting on the second Tuesday. Find out more from their Facebook Group.

PHP Dorset A community with a shared interest in web development in general and PHP programming language in particular. Open to all, it meets on the first Monday of the month in Westbourne. See website for more details.

Poole Bay Rotary Established in October 2016, this describes itself as ‘for younger people active in local businesses keen to be involved with community-based projects’. Visit the Poole Bay Rotary website to learn more.

Pure Networking Formerly Bournemouth Networking, this group holds one morning and one evening event each month. The format includes speed networking elements. There don’t appear to be any membership requirements for this group – just book your ticket and go along! Click here for the website.

Rural-Net The successor to Rural Dorset Business Club, this networking group now seems to operate as a series of ad hoc workshops, provided by WSX Enterprise. For more information visit the website.

Sounding Board A round table forum for growing businesses, where business owners discuss their challenges and opportunities. It's free and places are limited. Click here for more details.

Startup Grind Bournemouth The Start Up Grind network inspires entrepreneurs across the world. Its meetings are based around an in-depth interview with a successful entrepreneur. The Bournemouth group is new in 2016 and you can follow it on witter as @startupgrindbmth. It has no website, but can be found on the overall Startup Grind site.

Successful Women in Business Spanning Dorset and Somerset, this group has meetings in Dorchester, Wimborne, Taunton and Yeovil. There are several tiers of membership. For details, visit their website.

The Boardroom Network runs monthly breakfast clubs focused on bringing together business owners, directors, decision makers and managers. They operate an agenda with table plans to ensure they provide a friendly and engaging format, encouraging good conversations, connections and potential collaborations. Only open to organisations that can both buy and sell. Click to find out more from their website.

The Breakfast Board (pictured below) meets every 2nd Friday of the month at Urban Reef on the Boscombe prom. Each meeting tackles a different focus topic, with the discussion led by an expert guest-chair. Organised by The Boardroom Advisory – see the website for more information.

Trade 2 Business Forum Blandford Meeting every Friday for breakfast, this group’s website says it offers friendly, informal networking with minimal rules. However, it does limit membership to one person per trade or profession. Click here to visit the group’s website.

Weymouth Business Exchange (WEBX) This is a referral-based networking group meeting three times a month for breakfast in Weymouth Pavilion Theatre, and it follows a format similar to a BNI meeting. Visit their website for more information.

WiRE Dorset Network A Dorset branch of WiRE (Women in Rural Enterprise) launched towards the end of 2016. The group meets monthly in the Wimborne area and it’s open to all women, particularly those involved with a rural enterprise. To find out more join the WiRE Dorset Facebook Group.

Young Executive Club Since 2009 this group has been providing networking opportunities for up and coming professionals, aged under 35. The club website seems quite out of date, as it references events in 2014 and 2015. However, its Twitter account is active.